The Truth About Tigers: Book 1: Related
by Clawizzle
Summary: Is Tigerstar a pure warrior cat? We all thought he has warrior blood, but maybe he doesn't. Is the great leader of ShadowClan actually related to his arch enemy?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: If I owned Warriors, would I even have to write a disclaimer?**

MOLETAIL FANFICTION PRODUCTIONS PRESENT...

**_The Truth About Tigers: Book #1: Related_ **

Prologue

(Tigerstar's POV)

A menacing dark brown tabby tom towered over the dark grey one.

"What business do _you_ have here? _Your_ only interest is betraying everybody! First you betrayed ThunderClan, then you betrayed ShadowClan, then...well, you died on BloodClan's side, so that counts as betraying BloodClan!" the dark brown tabby spat. His piercing amber eyes looked like pools of angry fire, but the tabby refused to say that--to him, 'fire' meant only one thing: Firestar. To him, his eyes were burning pools of angry _tigers_, leaping at each other from side to side, dying when some evil claw raked across their bellies. He had died that same way, at the claws of Scourge!

"I--Tigerstar, you know I'll follow you when you take revenge on Firestar!" the dark grey tabby tom stammered. He looked worried and frightened--and he had a right to be so.

Tigerstar glared at the other tabby. "Do not speak to me of revenge, Darkstripe! I know that revenge always turns out to be a failure. I shall seek out StarClan and ask to be reborn again as a kit! Like Cinderpelt, that fool!" he growled crossly.

"But--I--Tigerstar! How could StarClan say yes if they knew that you were a traitor? And how would you find them? Escape from this Dark Forest is impossible! You yourself said so, and Brokentail, Hawkfrost, and I agree!" Darkstripe wailed. As Tigerstar looked over him, the old ShadowClan leader knew that Darkstripe was hiding the fact that if Tigerstar left, Darkstripe would be alone.

"Fine," Tigerstar hissed. "I'll stay. But sooner or later, Firestar will find out about my heritage. And then, all my honour will be ruined." Tigerstar snorted. Like he had any left.

(Darkstripe's POV)

_ What's wrong with Tigerstar's heritage?_ the tabby tom thought as Tigerstar left the clearing. _Does he **not** have wildcat blood?_**  
**


	2. The Dream

**Disclaimer: If I owned Warriors, would I be writing a disclaimer?**

Chapter 1 (Short)

(Firestar's POV)

-Begin Dream-

_A cat was curled up with her four kits. Firestar watched as she named them: Ginger, Queeny, Duke, and Lilac. Lilac? Firestar let out a quiet gasp--Lilac was his mother's name! So this she-cat was his grandmother. Interesting._

_ The dream suddenly flipped to when Ginger was a young cat, about Birchpaw's age, saying to his mother that he was just going to go off and join the forest cats. His mother warned him like Smudge had Firestar, but Ginger ran off before she could catch him._

_ Then Firestar saw Lilac with him and his siblings, saying, "Wildcats are despicable. Your uncle Ginger came back and told me that they fight and eat wild rabbits. But his name isn't Ginger now. It's--Thistle something. Anyways, isn't that despicable?"_

_ Next, the fiery-red leader of ThunderClan saw the grown-up Ginger, standing next to a young dark brown tabby apprentice. "Now, my son, my kit, my apprentice," he growled, "kittypets are despicable. Only pure-blooded wildcats make good warriors."_

_ The young tabby nodded eagerly. "Got that, Thistleclaw," he replied._

_ Thistleclaw? Thistleclaw, the bloodthirsty ThunderClan warrior, was Firestar's uncle? That meant that this dark tabby was his cousin._

_ Firestar saw the scene change as he viewed a ThunderClan leader seated on the Highrock. The leader was mewing to the brown tabby apprentice, "Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name: Tigerpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Tigerclaw. StarClan honours your.."_

_ Firestar was not listening to the leader anymore. He didn't have the strength to believe it._

_ Tigerclaw was his older cousin._

-End Dream-

Firestar woke up, and suddenly remembered Lilac telling the same thing to him and his siblings as she had in his dream. Ginger was Thistleclaw, and...was Tigerclaw really Firestar's flesh and blood?

Firestar slowly padded out of his den, his tail dragging on the ground dejectedly. Drowsily, he made his way to the warriors' den, and then prodded Brambleclaw awake with a weak paw. "I need to speak to you."

Brambleclaw followed his leader out of the warriors' den, then asked, "What is it, Firestar?"

Firestar looked old and tired for a heartbeat, and then hissed slowly, "I don't know how to say this, but...you--your father and I are...we're related."**  
**


	3. Darkstripe's Loyalty

**Disclaimer: If I own Warriors, then may the world explode right now! -Waits for world to explode- Tigerstar, will you say what that proves?**

**Tigerstar: That I don't own Warriors, or that the world exploded and you've come to the Dark Forest?**

**Disclaimer-person: -Sighs- I don't own Warriors. That's what it proves.**

**Tigerstar: So _I _own Warriors? Cool! I can make Firestar die in the first book...-Evil grin- I can make him never exist!**

**Disclaimer-person: You don't own Warriors, Cherith, Kate, and Vicky do. You're just part of Warriors. Do you want to go on with the story?**

**Tigerstar: I don't _wanna_ be related to Firestar, so no. -Is puzzled by Cherith, Kate, and Vicky-  
**

**Disclaimer-person: -Rolls eyes- If we don't go on, then the other stories will have to wait.**

**Tigerstar: GSC! Okay, go on. -Smiles evilly-**

Chapter 2 (Short)

(Tigerstar's POV)

"He found out!" The Dark Forest rang with the anguished yowl. "My mortal enemy _found out_!"

Darkstripe came out of a patch of brambles and walked towards the big dark brown tabby as he groaned, "Who found out what?" He seemed tired--his ears weren't alert like Tigerstar's were, his head wasn't hung high like Tigerstar's was, his tail dragged across the ground, his whole body sagged, his eyes looked weary and sleepy, his voice was drowsy and lazy and hardly audible, and he walked stiffly like he was old and tired and wise. He was only tired--he wasn't that old, and he was certainly not wise. Of all the cats in the Dark Forest, practically only Tigerstar was wise _and _foolish. Most evil cats were just foolish, but the dark tabby traitor wasn't.

Tigerstar spat at the appearance of Darkstripe. What a lowly.._cat!_ Darkstripe wasn't Tigerstar's companion, for he had betrayed everybody. Tigerstar had betrayed...one Clan. "That I'm half kittypet, you idiot!"

"**WHAT?!**" exclaimed Darkstripe disbelievingly. "How? Tell me, how! How! How!"

Tigerstar curled his lip and bared his fangs at his once-closest-companion. The cat who, if he had known Tigerstar's plans to take over ThunderClan, would've followed the great villain. The cat who now growled and hissed at Longtail and Dustpelt for not following Tigerstar.

...The cat who had helped Tigerstar's killer.

Tigerstar shook his head and those thoughts. "I'm also Firestar's older cousin. Well, there was a cat who mothered Lilac (Firestar's mother), Ginger (Thistleclaw, my father and mentor), Queeny (my random aunt), and Duke (my random uncle). See? If Ginger and Lilac are brother and sister, and I am Ginger's son and Firestar is Lilac's son, we're related," he mewed strongly. "Get it now?" Tigerstar hissed through clenched teeth as he loomed over Darkstripe.

(Darkstripe's POV)

"Y-yes, sir." Darkstripe drew back. "Why do you have to be so mean? There's nothing wrong with being half kittypet. Firestar was whole kittypet and he was _great_!" Darkstripe stammered, not really meaning what he said.

"GREAT?" roared Tigerstar, turning away from Darkstripe. Tigerstar hissed angrily. "My mortal enemy was _not_ great! It is horrible to be half kittypet because then you don't have warrior blood!" He was taught with anger and hardly noticed Darkstripe's courageous look.

Tigerstar whipped around and stalked away, leaving Darkstripe to fend for himself.

"Fine! Go!" yowled Darkstripe. "See if I care!" Darkstripe spun around the other way and stomped off. His paws hit the ground hard, and he clenched his teeth as if holding a rabbit between them. In his fury, he bumped into Tigerstar's son unexpectedly, and both of them went flying around into the dust.

"H--Hawkfrost!" Darkstripe exclaimed, gasping. Hawkfrost had trapped Firestar so that Brambleclaw might kill the ThunderClan leader. When Hawkfrost had gotten angry at Brambleclaw for _not_ killing Firestar, he had tried to kill him. Unfortunately for Tigerstar, and for Hawkfrost, Brambleclaw had killed his half-brother.

(Hawkfrost's POV)

"What's _wrong_ with you, Darkstripe?" Hawkfrost snapped. A moment later, he snorted, and then jeered, "You're usually being a coward with your friend over there!"

"H--Haven't you heard the news yet?"

"Yes, of course! Tigerstar is Firestar's older cousin, so what?"

"Well...it means that Tigerstar's a kittypet."

Hawkfrost grunted. He didn't have a care in the world _who_ his father was related to. As far as he was concerned, his father could go to the middle of the Dark Forest (if there was one) and rot there. But only if Hawkfrost got to rule the forest first. He'd only have a problem with it if it meant that he himself was quarter kittypet, and...

Hawkfrost stopped thinking, and his eyes narrowed to slits. "I want to be alive," he snarled. "Then I could make sure that whatever happens, I come out looking all loyal warrior cat."

"Is that right, Hawkfrost?" sneered a voice from the brush. "Loyal warrior cat?"


	4. I'm Playing 'Possum

**Disclaimer: Okay, Tigerstar, say the disclaimer.**

**Tigerstar: It's always me. In every story about me, they always ask me to do the disclaimer. For the thousandt--er, second--time, NO, I WILL NOT SAY THE DISCLAIMER!!!**

**Ravenpaw: Tigerstar, don't be rude.**

**Tigerstar: I ain't bein' rude. -Blinks- Hey, where did you come from? You're not in this story!**

**Ravenpaw: Now I am.**

**Tigerstar: No fair!! Moletail, get him out!**

**Moletail: -Drags Ravenpaw out of the room-**

**Disclaimer-person: Tigerstar, say the disclaimer.**

**Tigerstar: No.**

**Firestar: Ooh! Oooh!!! May I?**

**Tigerstar, Disclaimer-person, Moletail: NO!**

**Tigerstar: -Drags Firestar out of the room-**

**Darkstripe: I'll do the disclaimer.**

**Tigerstar: -Groans-**

**Darkstripe: Moletail and the Disclaimer-person don't own Warriors.**

**Tigerstar, Disclaimer-person, Moletail, Ravenpaw: -Sigh of relief-**

**Tigerstar: -Drags Ravenpaw out of the room- **

Chapter 3

(Brambleclaw's POV)

Brambleclaw stared blankly ahead at nothing in particular. There was nothing to see. Apparently, nothing was interesting to the ThunderClan deputy.

"What?" he rasped, managing to choke the word out. "Did you say that Tigerstar and you are related?"

Firestar blinked sarcastically. "No, I said that _Bluestar_ and I are related. Of course I did, Brambleclaw!" Firestar hissed.

Brambleclaw gulped. If Firestar and Tigerstar were related, that meant that he and Firestar's daughters were related. Right? And Firestar's daughters were Leafpool...and Squirrelflight.

"Doesn't that mean that I'm related to Squirrelflight?" Brambleclaw asked with a worried expression in his eyes. Firestar must've seen it, because the fiery red leader nodded sympathetically.

"Yes, Brambleclaw," Firestar mewed solemnly. "It does. But that doesn't mean you two can't be friends, does it?" Brambleclaw sighed and shook his head at that, as Firestar went on, "I know that you can't be mates now, but you can still be friends, just like I said. Isn't that right?"

Brambleclaw sighed again. "Should I tell Squirrelflight?" Then again, if Firestar was going to tell the Clan, maybe not. It would be a big surprise for her--and a big burden. It's not so much of a burden to be related to Tigerstar and just recently become known as related to Firestar, but to be related to Firestar and then learn that you're related to your father's mortal enemy...hey, that's bad.

Firestar swished his tail back and forth. "Yes. I'm not telling the Clan." His words were slow and careful, as if he just _had_ to pick exactly the right ones. Telling Squirrelflight would be harder than telling him, Brambleclaw realised. If Firestar was worried about telling her, then maybe he shouldn't.

Brambleclaw's eyes widened a bit. He stood silently for a moment there, until he lifted his head and growled, "If the Clan found out, the older warriors might not trust you." It was a pure fact. Brambleclaw was the son of Tigerstar, and they hadn't trusted him. Tawnypelt was the daughter of Tigerstar, and she didn't even _look_ like him, and they hadn't trusted her, either. Why should they trust Firestar now?

Firestar jerked back. Shimmering emerald pools of light turned to thin trickles of green as Firestar narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You sure about that?"

Brambleclaw took a deep breath. _Inhale--_"Yes."--_Outhale._ "I'm--"

"What's going on out here, fellas?" chirped a hasty voice. It was not just any voice--it happened to be the voice of Firestar's daughter. And not the tabby cat, either.

"Well?" Squirrelflight meowed impatiently. "You going to tell me or what? I'm waiting!"

Brambleclaw cleared his throat. "Well, actually--" He shook his head to steal a glance at Firestar. Was it the right time to tell Squirrelflight?

Firestar nodded approvingly, and Squirrelflight's green eyes brightened enthusiastically. "Tell me, father!" she urged. "Tell me! I need to know why you're up and about way before dawn!" Brambleclaw wanted to know why _she_ was up and about at this horrible time to be up and about, but he kept his mouth shut. Also, Squirrelflight was wrong--it was not way before dawn, it was only a couple of heartbeats away from sun-rise.

"Firestar's related to Tigerstar," Brambleclaw snapped quickly, but Squirrelflight caught every word. Brambleclaw gritted his teeth nervously as she exploded. Sort of.

"WHAT? IMPOSSIBLE! NO! HOW COULD IT BE? WORSE THAN THAT, I'M RELATED TO HAWKFROST, TOO! NOW I CAN'T BE BRAMBLECLAW'S MATE! NOW I'M RELATED TO TIGERSTAR! STARCLAN, WHY HAVE YOU CURSED YOUR MOST BELOVED DAUGHTER?" Squirrelflight fell down and tried to play dead. Brambleclaw shoved her body. "Beloved? I don't think so," he snickered. When Squirrelflight didn't move, Brambleclaw gave her a large push and snarled, "Wake up, you silly furball!"

All of this commotion had attracted Leafpool, Dustpelt, Sandstorm, and Cloudtail to come out and take a peek at the "dead" Squirrelflight. Sandstorm blinked sarcastically, Dustpelt yawned, Leafpool gasped and exclaimed, "What have you done to my sister?", and Cloudtail looked annoyed as he muttered, "She's as bad as Firestar." Leafpool, who was standing next to him, shot him a look, and the white warrior fell silent.

Leafpool eyed Squirrelflight closely and barked out orders to Brambleclaw and Sandstorm. "She's collapsed from shock," she reported. "Go fetch some poppy seeds and try to help revive her." Turning to her father, she added, "What did you _do_ to her, Firestar?"

Firestar sat down and, after curling his tail uncomfortably around his paws, he started licking himself. In between licks, he was able to tell her why Squirrelflight had "collapsed from shock." Leafpool then yowled, "I'M DOOMED!!", and played 'possum, too. Sandstorm fed Squirrelflight three poppy seeds, and Brambleclaw, who had gotten some and didn't know what to do with them, immediately stuffed his three down Leafpool's throat, all at once.

"Are you sure this will work?" Firestar groaned.

"If it doesn't, I know another method," Brambleclaw mewed amusedly. "Watch this." He stalked over to Squirrelflight and yelled in her ear, "YOU'RE RELATED TO TIGERSTAR!"

Squirrelflight's ears pricked up and she struggled to heave herself to her feet. "You don't have to let the whole world know, you know."

Up in StarClan, Bluestar sighed and shook her head sadly as she said the same thing.


End file.
